Civilian death toll rises to 3 in controversial firing by Army in Shopian

A third civilian died today following the January 27 firing by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian, according to ANI.
The third man who died is one Rayees Ahmad.
Earlier, two civilians were killed and nine others injured in the controversial incident, during which the Army fired into a stone-pelting mob that targeted a military convoy.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered against two Army officers by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The FIR was lodged under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code against the personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the Army. An Army Major, who led the Army personnel at the time of the incident, was also named in the FIR.
The BJP strongly protested the FIR, even as its coalition partner in J&K, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), asserted that the FIR will be taken to a “logical conclusion”.
J&K’s BJP spokesperson Virender Gupta called the FIR “unfortunate and disgusting”. He said nothing should be done that demoralises the forces. And an FIR should instead be lodged against the stone-pelters.
PDP chief and J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said she did not believe the FIR would have a demoralising effect on the Army.
“I do not accept that the Army gets demoralised by such actions. The Army is an institution and has done a wonderful job. But a black sheep can be anywhere … Among judges there can be black sheep, but we can’t paint everyone with the same brush,” Mufti said.